Portable Planet

An emergency official in the Midwestern U.S. state of Kansas says the tornado that devastated a small town Friday night is the most significant emergency the state has dealt with in a long time.

At least seven people died and dozens were injured when a massive twister raked across the town of Greensburg, which has about 1,600 residents. Witnesses said that 75 percent to 90 percent of the town was destroyed.

Town officials ordered an evacuation, directing residents to three emergency shelters in the area.  Rescue crews are trying to clear streets and investigate damaged buildings, looking for survivors.

Weather experts and so-called “storm chasers” who filmed the tornado’s progress said the twister was extremely large, a kilometer or more in width with wind speeds of at least 250 kilometers. 

Residents were alerted by warning sirens about 20 minutes before the tornado hit, giving many people time to get to safety.  Electricity and gas have been turned off to prevent fires and explosions, and Kansas National Guard troops have been dispatched to the area to help with security.

Experts say the tornado, and several other lesser ones, were generated by a large storm system that moved through the state of Oklahoma northeast through Kansas overnight.

The National Weather Service predicts more thunderstorms and severe weather across the central United States Saturday.

Source: VOA